Valentine’s, Valloween, Gal-entines. No matter how you frame it, Feb. 14 is a great excuse to spend a little time on yourself or with your significant other, and while getting something shipped to you is a bit out of the cards at this point, the Polygon staff has rounded up a number of excellent gift suggestions that can be in your hands right now.
Game Pass Ultimate Subscription
As easily one of the best deals in gaming, a Game Pass Ultimate subscription is rarely a bad gift idea. Right now, you can get a three-month subscription at Amazon for $41.66 or at Best Buy for $44.99. Not only do get access to a rotating library of AAA titles to peruse at your leisure, you also gain the ability to play those games on your mobile device through Xbox Cloud Gaming. Additionally, Game Pass Ultimate subscribers get access to exclusive promotions and discounts on games they want to make part of their permanent collection.
Field Guide to Memory
We all know that methodically taking notes is peak gaming. Field Guide to Memory is an excellent print-and-play experience you can get on itch.io for just $30. Created by Jeeyon Shim and Shing Yin Khor, Field Guide to Memory is a narrative-driven role-playing game that combines creative writing and art. We won’t spoil anything here, but if you want to learn more, you can read our review for a more detailed breakdown.
Speedrun Science
An excellent reference book for a niche topic, Speedrun Science by Eric Koziel breaks down the often misunderstood hobby of speedrunning. This guide not only explains speedrunning but presents a guide to running your favorite game with supporting illustrations by the talented Kari Fry. Speedrun Science is available as a digital download for $10 on Fangamer or in hardback coffee table format for $32.
Fangamer sheet music
For the musically inclined, Fangamer also features PDF sheet music downloads for the soundtracks of popular indie titles Undertale and Celeste for $15 each. The Undertale soundtracks are arranged for piano by David Peacock and include 15 songs in each volume. The Celeste sheet music was adapted from Lena Raine’s phenomenal OST by David Rene Christensen for piano and includes a total of 11 songs.
Humble “Love is in the air” Bundle
The Humble “Love is in the air” Game Bundle pulls together eight steamy visual novels into a single $12 package. Here are the games included in the bundle:
- When the Past Was Around - No dialogue, all heart, can’t lose. When the Past Was Around delivers its narrative through a combination of puzzles and immaculate artwork.
- Max Gentlemen Sexy Business - If Bridgerton was twice as thirsty and also a tycoon game.
- Sucker for Love: First Date - Dismantle Lovecraft’s problematic past with lewdness and anime.
- Ambition: A Minuet in Power - Love in the time of the French Revolution, Ambition: A Minuet in Power is a dating sim that proves that gossip can cut quicker than a guillotine in the aristocracy.
- Validate: Struggling Singles in your Area - Proof that acceptance is the sincerest form of flattery.
- A Story Beside - Stardew Valley but with less farming.
- Later Daters - Falling in love in your twilight years just means you’ve got nothing to lose. Read our review.
- Kaichu: The Kaiju Dating Sim - Find your drift-compatible soulmate and cancel the apocalypse.
Steam “Love Bombs” Bundle
Steam’s “Love Bombs” bundle drops a payload of five sentimental titles that would normally cost $70.95 and knocks the collective price down to just $55.75. Here’s everything you get in the bundle:
- Haven - When the only other person left alive is your ex, you better talk it out. Haven is an action RPG that supports local co-op, but is also playable solo experience.
- Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator - Get yourself a daddy that’s also a father. Read our review.
- Monster Prom - Adding a whole new subtext to “Graveyard smash.” Navigate the complexities and politics of a high school full of literal monsters as you and up to three other players attempt to get a date to the prom.
- Florence - Sometimes romance is about learning to love yourself. Florence is a game that’s part graphic novel, part point-and-click adventure.
- Sayonara Wild Hearts - A neon-flavored rhythm game full of wall-to-wall bangers. Sayonara Wild Hearts is a trippy and oddly romantic story that feels like a reimagined version of Rez.
Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime
Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime is a couch co-op experience for up to four players on the Nintendo Switch. Normally $14.99, you can currently pick up a digital copy on the Nintendo eShop for $7.49. Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime is a sappy, cute, and romantic experience that stresses communication and cooperation. We were a big fan of this game when it was originally released back in 2015, and scrambling around with a friend is timeless fun.